The Ondo State governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has officially approved the establishment of the Ondo State Senior Secondary School Education Board (OSSEC), marking a significant step towards enhancing educational infrastructure and management across the state’s secondary schools. This crucial development comes as a direct response to a federal government mandate, specifically the gazetted National Senior Secondary School Education Commission (NSSEC) Act. This Act requires all 36 states in the country to provide a five percent counterpart fund to support infrastructural development within their secondary school systems.

Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, announced this approval in Akure, the state capital. He emphasized that the new board is designed to work in close collaboration with the National Senior Secondary School Education Commission (NSSEC) to effectively tackle the existing infrastructural shortcomings prevalent in Senior Secondary Schools across Ondo State. Commissioner Ajibefun lauded Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration for fully aligning with the federal government’s commitment to upgrading educational infrastructure, and also extended gratitude to the governor for his unwavering dedication to sustainable education policies.

Dr. Akindele Ige, the administrative secretary of the ministry and a member of the establishment committee, elaborated on the benefits and specific scope of OSSEC. He explained that the board’s creation is anticipated to lead to improved funding for school management and crucial infrastructural development, which in turn is expected to significantly boost student enrollment throughout the state. A key aspect of OSSEC's design is its distinct operational scope: while the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) will continue to oversee facilities and infrastructure from primary schools up to Junior Secondary School Three (JSS3), OSSEC will specifically assume responsibility for Senior Secondary Schools (SSS1 to SSS3).

Upon its operational commencement, OSSEC will function as an independent agency under the purview of the State Ministry of Education. Strict measures will be in place to ensure that its programs and initiatives are harmonized and do not conflict or interfere with the functions of other existing educational bodies within Ondo State, thereby promoting a cohesive and efficient educational ecosystem.